The Big question of Sin

1. The Big questionof Sin – 10th
November 2015
What Is Sinisa bigquestion because definingitisdifficultdependingonthe person’s outlookastowhat
he or she thinksissin.Butas Christianswe mustknow that Sin isa deliberate thought,word,deed,or
omissioncontrarytothe eternal lawof God. In otherwords,sinisanythingthathurts yourrelationship
withGod. We knowthroughour ownexperiencesthat Sinisa personal act. If one were todecide “NOT
TO SIN”,nobodycan force you to doso… unlessyoudecide oragree to involve onasinful thought,a
sinful process orsinful actions.Unfortunately Godhasleftthisdecisionandresponsibility of oursin with
us.But thankfully He haspre-warnedandalso taughtusthrough numerous waysinthe bible thatGod
hatessin and whatwe shoulddo to refrainfromit!We can learnin Proverbs 6:16-19 - “There are six
thingsthe LORD hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughtyeyes, a lyingtongue,handsthat shed
innocentblood, a heart that devises wicked schemes,feet that are quick to rush intoevil, a false
witnesswho pours out liesand a personwho stirs up conflictinthe community.
As Christianswe mustknowthatwe have a responsibility evenwhen sinsiscommittedbyothers asand
whenwe cooperate inthem: Similarly byparticipatingdirectlyandvoluntarilyinthem;byordering,
advising,praising,orapprovingthem;bynotdisclosingornothinderingthemwhenwe have an
obligationtodoso; by protectingevil-doers…allthatalsofallsunderthe broadcategoryof sin.We
cannot shirkthatresponsibility…Todaywe live inaculture where the conceptof sinhasbecome
entangledinlegalisticargumentsoverrightandwrong.When we consider"whatissin?",asChristians
we thinkof violationsof the TenCommandments.Eventhen,we tendtothinkof murderandadultery
as "major"sins as comparedwithlying,cursing,oridolatry.
The truth is thatsin,as definedinthe original translationsof the Bible,means"tomissthe mark."The
mark, inthiscase,is the standardof perfectionestablishedbyGodand evidencedbyJesus.Viewedin
that light,itis clearthat we are all sinnersand the Apostle Paul saysin Romans3:23: "All have sinned
and fall shortof the glory of God." Whetherwe like itornotwe are sinnersinone formor the other.In
the lightof this, we can knowthat it doesnogood forus to compare ourselvestoothers andsay that“I
am not a sinnerlike thatperson”.We cannotescape our failure tobe righteousinourownstrength.This
isby God's design, thatwhenwe understandour weaknessin sin,thatwe shouldrelyon the atoning
sacrifice of Jesusandthroughsame receive salvation…beginanew life asanew entity.
Sinis mentionedhundredsof timesinthe Bible,startingwiththe "original"sinwhenAdamandEve ate
of the tree of knowledge.Oftenitseemsasif sinissimplythe violationof anyof God'slaws, specially
the Ten Commandments. Paul,however,putsthisinperspective whenhe says inRomans
3:20:"Therefore no one will be declaredrighteous inHis sightby observingthe law;rather, through
the law we become consciousof sin." The law doesnot redeem usof our sinbutmade aware of sin and
to refrainfromsame.God wantedusto recognize oursins.Eventhose whohave notmurderedor
committedadulterywill findthemselvesconvictedof lying,orof worshippingfalse idolslikewealthor
poweraheadof God…beingthe wayof the worldtoday!
Tragically, we mustknowthat sin inany amountwill distance usfromGod. We can learnin Isaiah59:1-
2 :"Surelythe arm of the LORD is not too short to save,nor His ear too dull to hear, but your iniquities
have separated youfrom your God;your sinshave hiddenHis face from you,so that He will not hear."
Therefore asChristianswe mustresistthe temptationtoact as if we are righteous,especiallybyleaning
on our goodworks. Because on1 John1 we can learn: "Ifwe claimto be without sin,we deceive
ourselvesand the truth is not in us.If we confessour sins,he is faithful andjustand will forgiveus our

2. sinsand purifyus fromall unrighteousness.Ifwe claimwe havenot sinned, we make himout to be a
liarand hisword has no placein our lives" (1 John 1:8-10).
The bible tellsusthatour awarenessasbeingasinneriswhatcallsus to Repentance.The goodnewsin
all of thisisthat, once we recognize ourselvesassinners,we needonlytorepentandembrace Jesus as
our saviourtobe forgiven. Itisonly Jesus whocanforgive usbecause he diedandrose againthree days
laterinvictoryoversin anddeath. We can learnwhen Peterreplied, “Repentandbe baptized,every
one of you,in the name of JesusChrist for the forgivenessofyour sins.And you will receive the giftof
the Holy Spirit.We can learnfurtherthat the bloodof Jesuspurifiesoursinin 1 John1 “But ifwe walk
in the light,as he is inthe light,we have fellowshipwithone another,and the bloodof Jesus,hisSon,
purifiesus fromall sin(1 John 1:7).
We can learnwhen the apostle Paul referstothisprocessof recognizingsinandbeingresponsibleforit
as "godlysorrow" that leadsusto seekrepentance. We canread thisin2 Corinthians7- "Godlysorrow
bringsrepentance that leads to salvationandleavesno regret, but worldlysorrow bringsdeath," We
can read furtherwhatitproducesinus whenwe have ‘godlysorrow’in ourhearts:"See what this godly
sorrow hasproduced in you:what earnestness, whateagerness to clear yourselves,what indignation,
what alarm,what longing,whatconcern,what readiness to see justice done.At every point youhave
proved yourselvesto be innocentinthis matter." 2 Corinthians7:10-11. As Christianswe like tocall
ourselvesinnocentfromsinfulness.ThroughGod’sgrace whenwe have Godlysorrow withinus,we see
ourselvesandoursinmore clearly thatenablesustobelieve inJesusChrist,seekHisforgiveness
throughour repentance andreceive salvation.
“For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin
might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin“(Romans 6: 6).